World I: Shinigami
by Iccena
Summary: Welcome to another new World - world of Shinigami and Hollows. Meeting someone and others who we all know but she doesn't know and watching the world as story progresses with an outsider's eyes...or will she be able to change? WARNING: OC exists!
1. Meeting, Long Before we Know

Author: So first I want to say is "Tadaima Minna-sama!" And now, please all ignore my loooooooooooong period of absence and let us start reading!

Of course, welcome all types of wording corrections but please ignore the grammar because when I write I don't re-read to correct grammar. Too lazy to do that, so haha, have fun!

**Note: I will have names arranged in ways of how East Asians arrange their names so please take a note on that for those who won't notice – Last name first and first name first.**

**Translations – I am not going to translate simple words like ****Hai****, or ****desu****, etc…but for readers who don't understand can send me messages for questions or leave reviews with the question and I will answer them.**

**Also, I create my own timeline within this story so if it doesn't match the one in anime, please also ignore it. ****So I do NOT want any corrections about my timeline UNLESS I made the mistake within the timeline that I have used.**

CHAPTER 1

'Mizuno Ai, this is the name my mother has given me. It has been the same name for…how long?

How many years has it been? How many times has it been? How many lives has it been, since I have been born, died then reborn again without loosing my memory of my past.

Am I just a spirit whom God has given up on? Am I just a mistake been created? Or am I someone whom is an outsider of this universe?'

Mizuno opened her eyes and took a look around her room, it was all white. She got up and walked to her window by side of her desk and looked out. A cleared sky, birds were chirping across the street on a pole, people were gossiping by the entrance of the newly built market and a child in the middle of the park with others around him.

This is the daily happenings of her current period of existence.

Mizuno took out her autumn coat and walked out to the busy yet peaceful street. Every scene that passed her was just a murmur in her ears and a blur in front of her eyes; they are nothing for a girl who had seen too much for all the lives she's been through.

"Look, look! Bleach is finally out!!! I can't wait to see the battle between Soul Society and the Arrankar and Aizen!" A boy with short brown hair ran by pulling his friend behind to a nearby comic store.

'Bleach?' Mizuno paused slightly on her footstep. 'Since when kids excited bout bleach? And Aizen, Soul Society, Arrankar……are they new brands of bleach that just came out? Hmm…maybe I should try those sometimes to rid off the stains on my clothes…"

"Yea, I wonder if Byakuya will smile and Hitsugaya Toushirou will grow taller haha!" another girl ran passed Mizuno with two girls along.

'……' Mizuno decided to turn around to another path way when her phone ran. "Hai, Mizuno desu"

[Mission X. Old Place. 11 tonight.

Click

'X…huh? They have decided I see…'

CHAPTER 2

"Onee-san, wake up…onee-san…Are you alright?" Mizuno felt someone was pushing her side. Slowly opening her eyes, a boy with light brown hair was kneeling beside her with cautiousness in his brown eyes.

Mizuno got up without moving her black hole liked eyes from his. She can feel him tensing readying for an attack, his breath accelerating slightly and his eyes…so cautious and…danger? How could 'danger' exists in eyes of a young child like this one in front of her?

"Don't pretend who you are not."

Slightly surprised by the first comment from this person in front of him, he lowered his shoulder a little unconsciously.

"Where am I?" Mizuno continued to ask him without removing the gaze.

"……This is Soul Society, 75th Alley, one of the most dangerous alleys of the entire 80 Alley for non-Shinigami souls." He replied in a steady voice but Mizuno could hear the faltering sound behind his words.

"Tell me more about this soul society."

'Why can't I remove my gaze from this woman?' with a cold sweat falling from his forehead. 'Either can I move my body; unconsciously I am answering her questions without delay!'

(Due to Author's laziness, we skip the introduction about Soul Society)

Finally Mizuno removed her gaze from the sweat soaked boy; she got up and walked out to see this new world. It was not new to her now that whenever she opens her eyes and see a whole new surrounding. Rather, she felt more uncomfortable to see herself being in a place for too long.

"…Wait…w-wait…WAIT!" She heard a yell behind her and saw the boy who had woken her up awhile ago trying to catch up on her footsteps.

She paused on the spot and waited for him to reach the distance she had made from the spot she woken up on.

After he caught his breath and he stared at her right in her eyes without the fear and cautiousness like before. "Aren't you going to thank me for saving you?"

"…….Thank you."

He choked on his saliva hearing the immediate reply. "That doesn't sound too sincere!" for some reason, he could feel it, this woman is strong and in an area like 75th Alley, strength is everything in order for survival.

"What then?"

"I want to follow you!"

Ha? Did she hear him wrong? "Why?"

Seeing this woman was not even understanding his hidden meaning, he started to play a different face. "Sniff…sniff…onee-san…I have no family…sniff…sniff…I…onee-san…sniff…sniff is…sniff…the first…person…sniff..who…who…did not…sniff…kill me…sniff on the first…sniff sight…so…"

Without waiting for him to finish Mizuno Ai said "I said it already, don't pretend who you are not. Even if you want to, please be a better actor than this. If you want to follow me just say it."

The boy now was slightly scared at the directness; she was the first one so far who did not fall for his tricks. The others will sympathize and accept his pleas or ignore him and start to beat the hell out of him.

Finally after a struggle inside his mind, he looked to the side with a tint of blush on his pale cheeks and said in the most sincere tone he has ever used in soul society. "Please, onee-san, may I follow you."

"Why?"

Taken back again, not by her harshness or her directness because her voice contained either, instead, her voice was stilled and emotionless like whatever is happening around her does not concern herself like……an outsider.

Yes, like an outsider to this world. Nothing will affect her in this world.

For some reason, he felt an immediate panic that this woman is going to disappear. He grabbed her right hand at the moment of that panic then surprised that he actually did it.

Mizuno looked down at the first determined yet scared hand and now shivering lightly.

"Because…I need someone to protect me…and…I…want a family…just like other kids…in other alleys…a family member…"

Mizuno lifted her other free hand and raised the boy's head by the chin. "Then my request is…that I won't interfere with your business however…"

"I won't cross your boundary!" He was smart enough to guess her answer but somewhere deep inside his heart, he wanted her to interfere…why?

"I am not going to protect you." What?! She… "but I will teach you how to protect yourself, strong enough to fight and survive."

How much more can he asks for? He was right! She IS strong!

"Onee-san, what is your name?"

"Mizuno Ai."

"I am not going to call you Mizuno onee-san because you are not my protector so I am going to call you Ai."

"Name is just a code" though this name had followed for so long. "Call me whatever you like but I won't remember or approve of you until you are as strong as me."

"Then I would like you to remember this too Ai, and that is my name. I am going to be strong enough for you to remember my name. My name is Aizen Sousuke."

"………………"

"Huh? What's wrong? What's with that look on your face?"

"……………….."

"What?"

"I didn't know you actually are named after a bleach brand in the real world."

"……………….."


	2. Together, View of Each Other

CHAPTER 3

After Aizen finished running his 30th lap around the 75th Alley, he paused and to find Mizuno was lying at the top of their house's roof.

For the past four months Mizuno had been teaching him fighting skills strong enough to protect himself, and himself alone.

Aizen narrowed his eyes at the forest green hair girl who had the darkest black eyes he had ever seen. Those eyes showed no feeling. Who was she before she had died and got sent to this world, and his world?

She was not the prettiest woman he had seen, rather, you would not find her to be pretty at the first sight. However, the more you look at her the more you'd be drawn as if your eyes belong to the position of staring at her face.

Aizen frowned at himself to wonder, what was the reason that her face drawn his eyes so much. Could it be just his imagination that he is perfecting her portrait in his own eyes? No, because he was not the only one but also other men.

Speaking of those men…Aizen wondered if Mizuno noticed that…

Aizen shook his head and continued his 'chore'. Ever since that day, he had been training within the schedule Mizuno made him and outside for the sake of himself.

What was it that is driving him to the edge and even over to train so far? Was it because of the obsessions to gain more power? Was it because his unwillingness to be weak? Was it because that this world is not fair even after life? Was it because he wants to prove to others that he can change fate?

Yes! He is obsessed to gain power because he needs it to survive along side with her. He is unwilling to be weak because he wants to fight along side with her. This world is unfair therefore he needs to show others how to stand up for themselves in front of her. Yes! He wants to prove to others that he can change fate but what's more is that he wants to prove it to her!

Why is all those answers relate back to her!? What kind of woman is she to affect him like that!? Aizen ran faster on his steps frustrating with all those answers, yet unknown to his self that he is running his 50th lap.

"Aizen." Mizuno held Aizen by the shoulder.

Snapped back to reality, Aizen looked up and realized that he was already sweating wet while people were shaking to the ground affected by his reiatsu. Leaving only him and Mizuno standing without being affected.

(Reiatsu – "spirit pressure" )

"Gomen, I've over done it." Aizen immediately apologized. He knew they have to move soon because this is an area where people who have reiatsu love to challenge others with reiatsu. It was a problem for him and Ai.

"Let's go." Without another word Mizuno moved on to pack her things to go.

'How long has it been?' Mizuno thought at the back of her head. The world she had landed on this time was called the 'Soul Society' – a world of Shinigami and Konpaku while on the other side of the scale is the world of Hollow who are the 'enemies' of Soul Society.

(Shinigami – death god. Konpaku – normal human soul. Hollow – creatures evolved from Konpaku.)

She remembered that the first moment she fought this kid with hand to hand combat; she felt a pressure liked power surrounded him. But he did not know how to control it.

She was surprised by the rate of improvement when she taught him the skills to control and restrain his reiatsu. At the same time, it allowed her to realize that she too, has that power.

As far as she could remember before she 'died' and entered this world, she was an assassin. Top ranked in the committee and hardest person to control. That was the reason why they had given her that mission.

It was a suicide mission while at the same time, the mission's impact was so large that it could create genocide. She was not a kind hearted person who will sacrifice herself to save the world that crap. She just wanted an excuse to rid off herself of that world for she knew, she would reborn again in another with no doubt.

Foolish old ones, thinking they got rid of her because of their plans and skills but they will never know that she willingly gave up her life was because she was sick of that world.

Aizen…the first child she met in this world. The first touch of her hand at the boy's chin, she saw images flashed by.

That was her power – to see the future. She knew well what's going to happen later on when this boy has grown up and she would not interfere. However, she's not going to stand by his side but to go on her own path. In other people's eyes, she's just a girl of 17. But her strength as a fighter was not someone who's 17 could be.

Mizuno smirked a little at the corner of her mouth. 'Aizen…ka?'

How ironic. His name is Aizen – pun for 'before love' – this boy eh? I anticipate for your future; show me what you can do, to prove to this world about your believe. You think this world is unfair?

_Every_ world is unfair. Don't you see: 'Betrayal exists since the beginning', so don't think world can be fair.


	3. Gift, My First Gift is Your Goodbye Gift

CHAPTER 4

"Betrayal exists since the beginning."

This had been Aizen's quote of his life since then. Brushing back his hair like usual, he headed for the mountain by the most west of Soul Society. Day by day, which was like forever in our eyes was nothing in soul society.

Today's Aizen's 300th 'birthday' starting from the day he arrived here. And they had met for 250 years and properly started to be trained by her for 220 years now. He's strong enough to beat a vice-captain of the 13 squads however, they were all based on skills. If someone from the 13 squad uses mere brute strength, he's no match for them.

They have zanpakutou but not him.

When Aizen reached up to the peak of the mountain, he stood there and looked out for the sun rise. He enjoyed this feeling of utmost height. He felt as if he has absolute control over every inch and piece of land that he could see. He loved to be the puppet master of the lives standing below him. What's best of all, no one could challenge his place.

A light flashed through his eyes as quickly as lightning as he went on with his thought.

"You still have a lot to learn." A voice that sounded like tingles of the best made bells touched his ears. He turned around to find Mizuno sitting on a branch of a tree. "If you can be satisfied so easily by just having the feeling you had awhile ago, you still have a long way to go."

"What do you mean Ai?" switched to his gentle face, he smiled at Mizuno with tenderness in his eyes.

"But at least I can see you have perfected your smile. I congratulate you for that." Mizuno jumped down and walked towards Aizen. "Here."

Slightly taken back from the unruly wrapped……gift…he supposed and hoped that he had guessed right. He caught it with ease and slowly opened the 'gift'.

A pair of dark brown slim squared glasses.

"What is this for Ai?" He asked.

"Three uses: 1. If you plan to put on that face of yours for the rest of you life in front of others, I suggest you to use that. Because no matter how you have perfected that fake smile of yours, it is still very much fake to me. 2. I believe today is the day that you said it before, your 300th birthday to soul society right? So happy birthday. 3. It is also a congratulation present for you to finally got rid of me because I successfully passed the entrance test for academy of shinigami." Mizuno crossed her arms in front of her waist and began to count with her head slightly cocked to the side.

"I didn't know one thing can have so many…reasons to be a presents." You might as well say the last real reason why you have one gift for so many reasons. You just didn't want to spend money on things, instead, you will spend more at the sake bar. But of course, Aizen was smart enough not the say that. "Thank you Ai, I am surprised that you still remembered that one-time I told you about my birthday."

"I didn't." Mizuno replied immediately.

Aizen sweat dropped at the back of his head. "Then how come……"

"Who wouldn't know that today is your birthday when you have a big piece of paper written down stating about wanting a gift for your birthday covering your face therefore when you wake up that's all you can see?!" Mizuno liked Aizen, put up a fake smile.

So…in another words, Ai is angry. No wonder she talks so much today.

"I'll treat you to sake and sushi buffet tonight." He offered.

Mizuno continued to stare at him.

"And I will make sure that I will pay for it this time." Smile, smile and continue to smile.

Suddenly, Mizuno sighed.

"Doushitanno?" he asked at her sudden change of face.

(Doushitanno – What's going on? – close to this meaning).

"You've grown too tall." The old Ai came back, Aizen thought. By now, the woman he thought who was strong and still is, only reaches his chest. "Thank you for your comment. Now, would you like to explain to me why and how in the world do you mean by the academy? I was so sure that I did not see you go and take the entrance test nor applied for it."

"I did."

"When was that? Please kindly remind me." Aizen tried to remember…wait a minute…the paper Ai gave him two months ago saying it was another…it couldn't be… "I thought it was me who wrote the entrance test."

"Hai." Mizuno continued to reply without any shame on her face.

"And you said it was _you_ who got accepted."

"Ah…sou yo" She nodded once.

"……………."Aizen was left speechless, he was smart and intelligent enough to now figure out what was going on. Ai used him to pass the writing test. "I thought u knew the answers to those questions you gave me."

"Ah…I did…but…"

"You were too lazy to write the answers and to think for yourself."

"I was too lazy to write the answers and to think for myself." They both said the answer out loud together.

Aizen sighed heavily. "I will go take the test too."

"No you are not." Mizuno's words paused Aizen on his tracks.

He turned around and frowned slightly. His eyes turned slightly dangerous. "What do you mean?"

"I am going alone and you are going to continue to train. You are still not mature enough to face what you will be facing." She walked and stood in front of him, looked up with her hands slightly combed through his velvet brown hair, pulling down a few strands here and there. "I will wait for you in there. Work your way up and find me. Matte iru kara."

(Matte iru kara – because I will be waiting)

"I have found another boy who reminds me of you, I believe you two will meet some day…"

"So you are leaving me alone right?" he asked with the shiver in his voice liked the first time they had met. It did not matter if she had found another because she had left them both behind. He began to feel slightly sympathized with the other unknown though he had felt a pang of anger when she said that.

Without replying his question, she turned around leaving him behind.

Trying to find her inside that 'place' is like trying to find a needle in the ocean, why?! Why is it that every time when he almost catches up on her, she will depart just like today!? Why is it that when he almost has his fingers touching her clothes, she will disappear just like today!?

Anger and an unexplainable feeling flashed through his eyes. He clenched his left fist but not the right. As much as he wanted to crush those glasses, somehow, deep inside him had made him stopped.

After a few taking ins of deep breath, he looked up to the path where Mizuno had went. There was no more signs of her whatsoever, but her light lavender scent still remained in the air. He lifted his left hand and felt what she had done with his hair and bitterly smiled at the corner of his lips.

She did left him something – a mask. He then put those glasses on and looked once more out to the direction of the sun rise. I will find you. That's a promise.

The rays of the sun shone on Aizen, he stood there like the proud Apollo and his Mother Marie's smile reminded us the Aizen Sousuke we know today – Captain of the 5th division.

(Author's hint: the flower language of lavender means "waiting for love")

Review!


	4. Trouble Makers,Young Yoruichi and Kisuke

CHAPTER 5

(Academy – Central Institute of Spiritual Art – to train souls with reiatsu to become shinigami )

"Oi, Mizu-chan, let's go to the bar tonight?" A chocolate skin with mid-back purple length hair girl jumped down from the sky and landed in front of Mizuno who was on her way to the library.

"……" After staring blankly at the girl in front of her, Mizuno decided to walk around her.

"Wah Mizu-chan……Kisuke is paying for our sake and food tonight! Let's go, let's go!" the girl pulled on Mizuno's arm and whined. Anyone would be moved by this gesture if you ignore that light in her eyes.

"Shihouin Yoruichi." Mizuno called after a moment.

"Yes madam, Shihouin Yoruichi report for duty!" the girl immediately released her grip from Mizuno and made a military salute. But as quickly as she released it, she grabbed back Mizuno's arm before Mizuno could run away. "And under Commander Kisuke, I am under a mission to bring Mizu-chan you to the bar!"

Mizuno frowned slightly and she looked at Yoruichi at the corner of her eyes. "It's Mizuno-senpai."

"Yada yo, Mizu-chan!" Yoruichi laughed copying someone whom the both of them known so well's accent.

Shihouin Yoruichi, head of the noble house of Shihouin which is one of the four main remaining nobles of soul society. She is also the soon-to-be the head of the Keigun, but currently a third year student of the academy, sent by her 'old crooks' as she called them in order to learn how to 'restrain' herself and be a 'proper' noble.

Those were her exact words.

(Keigun - An organization devoted to the internal policing of Seireitei as well as field reconnoisance involving Hollows.)

Mizuno met both Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke, another 'buddy' of Yoruichi. Both made the loudest name during this round of all students – the name of trouble. Mizuno believed that if these two graduate from the academy this second, the next second all the sensei and even the taichou of Gotei 13 themselves will be overjoyed and have a BIG celebration in the name of having the both of them gone. Those people were just on the top list, Mizuno didn't even bother to add the vice and other little people she just happened to forget.

(Taichou – captain. Gotei 13 – Division 13/The 13 Court Guadians).

"Besides Mizu-chan, if you didn't skip your year so often, you will be our kouhai now. Therefore, in another words, I don't think you are our senpai!" Yoruichi cunningly smiled.

Currently, Mizuno is in her fifth year in the academy. She skipped twice up. While still in first year, within the first half semester she skipped ahead to third year. That was when Yoruichi and Kisuke just entered the academy.

Having a 'tensai' in the academy while when Yoruichi and Kisuke thought they were 'tensai' was quite...angering in their opinion. So they skipped too, however to second year because their reiatsu were not enough to pass the test.

(Tensai – genius)

After another round of 6 months, Mizuno skipped again to fifth year while Yoruichi and Kisuke just passed the test and head on for third year.

(I put one semester equals to 6 months)

Having over heard that news, the two decided to pay a 'visit' to Mizuno. However, no one knew what had happened during that visit. It's just that both Yoruichi and Kisuke's face were 'painted' in black and blue which made them stayed home for a month for 'resting'.

Later on, the two didn't give up; instead, they continue to pay 'visits' to Mizuno. Then it all started from paying visits to her to dragging her to sake bars and the red light districts as we can see today. Would you consider Mizuno as their 'buddy'?

In their opinion, yes; in Mizuno's opinion – "why these two couldn't just leave her alone?"

"Hadou 33 – Soukatsui!" Suddenly a blue fire ball raced its way towards its target – Mizuno's head.

With a smirk on Yoruichi's face, she shunpo away from Mizuno's side followed by a direct hit from her left hand "Bakudou 1 – Sai!" and another from her right hand "Hadou 54 – Haien!"

(Bakudou 1 Sai – to paralyze and hold/bound target in one place. Hadou 54 Haien – to burn target into ashes)

"Kisuke hurry up!" she turned around and yelled at a blonde hair boy who just reached the ground.

"Hai hai…" though his tone showed uncared, his grey-blue eyes were dead serious. "Bakudou 61 – Rikujoukourou! Yoruichi-san…it's your turn!)

(Bakudou 61 - Rikujoukourou – the movement of the opponent is bound by six bands of light, hold them in place.)

"Hadou #63 – Raikouhou!"

(**Hadou #63** - Raikouhou – A wave of thunder that seeks its target.)

Everything was quiet after the continuous attacks from the two. When everything got cleared up, Yoruichi and Kisuke narrowed their eyes in search for any signs of Mizuno.

"Oi, Kisuke, do you think we got her this time?" Yoruichi whispered.

"Yoruichi-san, how many times did you practice that with me?" without answering her question, Kisuke throw another to her. "Do you think the double ties will hold her still though?"

Yoruichi rolled her eyes at the idiotic question. They both knew that Bakudou 1 and 61 were just for delaying time so that they can attack with ease. She continued to search up and down for any shadow signs of Mizuno and tried to feel her reiatsu.

The dust calmed and settled back on the ground, there was no sign of Mizuno. The two trouble makers had looked everywhere trying to find Mizuno.

"Oi, Yoruichi, do you think Mizu-chan went home?" Kisuke scratched his head; he only called Yoruichi with the 'san' when he's serious.

"Impossible, I told her that you will be treating us to dinner and sake tonight." Yoruichi ignored that baffled look on Kisuke who grabbed his wallet immediately. "I didn't say anything like……eh?"

"What's wrong?"

"My wallet…is…gone…" Kisuke looked up with a tear at the corner of his eyes. "That's my one month's allowance Yoruichi-saaaaaaan…!"

"EH? My sake! You better pay me back Kisuke!" without the notion that she didn't even give any money to Kisuke, Yoruichi cried out for her sake. She could see the sake bottle is flapping its wings up the sky.

"If you two finished arguing I'm going home." A very familiar voice appeared from their left. They turned around to see 8 empty sake bottles, 6 empty plates, 3 empty bowls and 5 desert plates left on the table while Mizuno was finishing sipping her green tea. "Thanks for lunch Urahara."

"Ah……my money!!"

"Ah……my sake!!" they both cried out at once.

"But so far you two have improved well, to be able to use both Hadou and Bakudou without the chants and also up to the 60's. Yoruichi, work on your Shunpo and timing on attacks. Urahara, work on your reiatsu, it's too obvious to sense you prescence and also, please stop put weird invention on me because they don't work. Not to mention they look ugly. Try better next time and Urahara…"

"Hai…Mizu-chan?" Kisuke asked uncertainly.

"Bring more money next time, I'm only half full." Ignored his 'chan' comment, she got up and started to walk away.

"I will beat you one day Mizuno Ai, wait and see!" Yoruichi cried behind her back.

With a wave of her hand to say she got the message without turning back her head, Mizuno continued her way home.

Until there was no more Mizuno's back, Yoruichi decided to listen to what Mizuno just told her. It's been like this since they were together. She trained them indirectly just like today ever since after the first 'visit'. The two of them had asked her to be their sensei, but she had refused immediately. Though she had refused, their constant 'visits' turned out to be training from their sudden attacks to her comments at the end of the battle.

They knew she was strong, perhaps even stronger than the sensei in the academy though she didn't show that. Everyone thought she was just a 'tensai' but they knew how much works she had done in order to achieve that and they greatly respect her for that.

"Oi, Kisuke, what's wrong?" Yoruichi came out from her thought and saw Kisuke was planting mushrooms on the ground with tears in his eyes.

"She…hidoi na Mizu-chan…she…she called me…proud invention……worthless…a piece of junk…and…half _full_ with my one-month allowance……hidoi…Mizu-chan hidoi…I just wanted to try out my new and proud invention on her…she…Yoruichi-san…I am hurt…"

Yoruichi sweat dropped while trying to hold back her laughter but did not succeed. "HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!"

(Hidoi – to me it means 'mean', hidoi na – how mean, so mean. Correct me if I'm wrong)


	5. Senpai and Sensei, Meet Kuchiki Byakuya

CHAPTER 6

"Mizu-chan, Mizu-chan……………!!!!" Yoruichi came running directly across the academy ignoring the people she knocked over.

Mizuno sighed helplessly at this…how many times did she run like this again? Totally lost count. Being 'bothered' by Yoruichi and Kisuke was a total nightmare in Mizuno's point of view. As much as she likes to go out and party, those two were just on the extreme part.

A rush of wind passed by her then returned within a second. Hmm…Yoruichi's shunpo has improved…let just say A LOT. Mizuno thought.

"Yes……" She drawn out slowly, "Yoruichi?"

"I found something interesting!" without a sweat or sign of tiredness on her face, Yoruichi kept on jumping up and down in front of Mizuno.

"You mean, you have found a toy for you to spare your time with when you cannot find me right?" Mizuno corrected her sentence. She looked at Yoruichi with a slight pride in her eyes; she received the name of Shunshin last semester in her fourth year. So young and able to accept this name without any nobility pride, and also she still haven't graduate from academy as yet. Not to mention the creator of Shunkou, a combination of hand-to-hand combat and kidou; though she didn't tell anyone about this but herself and Urahara who seemed to be the assistant and paring partner for this experiment.

Right now, Yoruichi is faster than any Taichou within Gotei 13, Mizuno some how was proud…no, happy is the word that Yoruichi was her 'friend'. She wondered if those old 'crooks' of Yoruichi's family and also people of soul society find out that this woman in front of her use shunpo in all types of careless manner, what would they think of their 'Shunshin'?

(Shunshin – God of flash – title of fastest person in soul society)

Without knowing that thought in Mizuno's head, Yoruichi started to drag Mizuno away from the roof top. "Come on Mizu-chan, I'll show you!"

Mizuno followed her with another sigh. "Hai hai." She had given up on refusing Yoruichi, because she knew that when Yoruichi is refused, she won't have a moment of peace.

Two months later will be her graduation from the academy. However, all of her classmates have already gotten their zanpakutou which allows them to graduate anytime they wanted now and join Gotei 13. So literally, they have already graduated from the academy, it's just that they were waiting for the ceremony.

On the other hand, she still couldn't neither sense her zanpakutou nor hear the sound of her zanpakutou. As much as she likes the academy because she can slack off from time to time, she wants to get rid of Yoruichi and Urahara's constant stickiness.

Mizuno wondered, will she be happy if she had gotten her wish? Or…lonely?

"We are here." Yoruichi put her hands on her hip with a big smile.

"……….." Mizuno looked everywhere to find….a boy? A boy who reached a little below her shoulder…….? A mannequin boy that can send cold chilly air like air conditioners from the real world? "Since when Urahara decided to make you an air-conditioner mannequin? It's going to be winter, what's the point of him?"

"Eh? What are you talking about Mizu-chan?" Yoruichi slightly puzzled, couldn't catch up with Mizuno's thoughts.

"I mean, is that your new 'toy'?" as soon as she mentioned that word, it got colder.

"Of course, interesting ne?" Yoruichi looked like a cat that wants a good pat on her head. "He was sent to me by Kuchiki family."

"So you mean that's not a mannequin made by Urahara to freeze you when the winter arrive?" Mizuno went up to the boy and poke slightly on the face. For a boy who can vibrate cold airs, his face is surely soft and warm.

"HAHAHAHAHAH, that's a nice idea Mizu-chan." Yoruichi clapped Mizuno's shoulder hard and started to tell her about this boy.

"His name is Kuchiki Byakuya, son of the current head of Kuchiki noble family. He is going to be sent to the academy next year after you graduate so his dad asked Shihouin's old crooks if I can train him ahead of time. I kinda want to refuse at first but when I accidentally saw him, it looks like fun so I accepted hehe."

Mizuno felt slight sorry for this Kuchiki kid and she showed it by slight pat his head while Yoruichi continued her blab.

"Oh well, listen Byaku-yaa, onee-san is going to train you well so…." Yoruichi changed her face from a smiley face to a devil one, "prepare for it."

"Byakuya desu." For the first time he opened his mouth with that calm, emotionless face of his. "Not Byakuyaa" he couldn't copy Yoruichi's accent on his name when he tried to correct her. Therefore, his name didn't sound any different but has a longer 'a'.

"Eh?" Yoruichi began to wonder if she's getting old for not being able to catch up on other people's mind. First Mizuno and now, her new toy. "Of course I know your name is Byaku-yaa"

"Mizuno Ai desu, yoroshiku ne Kuchiki-kun." Mizuno smiled slightly with her right hand raised for a shake ignoring Yoruichi.

(Yoroshiku – nice to meet you – used when first meeting another).

With a puzzled look on Byakuya's face, Mizuno lifted his smaller right hand and showed him what she had meant.

"Hai, Mizuno-senpai, Kuchiki Byakuya desu. Doozo yoroshiku onegaiishimasu." He bowed with a perfect angle. There was nothing Mizuno could find him wrong, everything was done perfectly as if one single bow had been practiced over thousands times.

(Doozo yoroshiku onegaiishimasu – much more polite version of yoroshiku – especially when he is the younger one).

"Yoruichi," Mizuno called out her name.

"Nani Mizu-chan?" Yoruichi blinked quickly at the mention of her name.

"Your…" Mizuno coughed slightly "student is interesting. But, I feel sorry for Shaoling. I hope you give her enough attention because I don't want her to come breaking my bed room door…_again_."

Fong Shaoling, or should Mizuno say, Soi Fong – named after her grandmother when she joined the Keigun. Her family is a lower class noble family that has some kind of association with Shihouin family but basically her family traditionally and for each generation exits to serve the Shihouin Family.

In the Fong family, strength meant everything. Anyone who could not enter Keigun was immediately banished from the family with no exceptions and that girl was the hardest working girl Mizuno had ever seen. After seven years joining Keigun, Soi Fong became the Head of Keigun's personal escort.

And that head of the Keigun was no one other than the person standing in front of Mizuno right now – Shihouin Yoruichi.

Yoruichi told her about Soi Fon who now has been serving Yoruichi for two years now. Apart from studying in the academy, Yoruichi literally threw all the family works to Soi Fong, in her words: "To train her for the future" but in Mizuno's words "to slack off so she could drag Urahara to the bar or play pranks."

That girl who followed Yoruichi with such blind respect and admiration, Mizuno felt sorry for her from what she had seen when she touched her hands for the first time. That was what she had meant she said to Yoruichi awhile ago that she felt sorry for Shaoling.

Mizuno looked down at Kuchiki Byakuya, she sympathises about his future, but that does not mean she will interfere with their lines of fate unless she got wrapped within it. For each time she tries to change another's fate, it's her price to pay.

"All right, now that the two of you know each other. Let's play a game!" Yoruichi clapped her hands twice for Mizuno's attention. "Mizu-chan, please be our judge. Byaku-yaa, this is the rule: you must use shunpo to catch me before dinner time however; you must stay on the ground so you cannot go on roofs or trees to look for me. Is that clear? The punishment for that is you won't be able to report home on time as your father had said you should."

"Hai."

"Why must I……?" Mizuno frowned, she wanted to go home and finish her readings for tomorrow's class.

"There's sake from Sakuya's place tonight for you." Yoruichi knew Mizuno's favourite sake place is Sakuya which made Mizuno immediately shut up.

"Ready, set, GO!" In a blink of time, Yoruichi disappeared from the spot leaving the slightly astonished Byakuya and Mizuno who sat on top of a tree branch.

Byakuya followed and gone too, but in a much slower shunpo compared to Yoruichi's shunpo. After Byakuya was gone, Mizuno took out her book and began to read.

Time flew as Mizuno saw Byakuya passed her for the sixteenth times, now panting with sweats falling from his forehead as he continued to go off to search again.

"Oi Yoruichi, don't you think it's enough?" after Byakuya shunpo off again, Mizuno said Yoruichi's name without turning around.

"Hehe, I knew I couldn't fool you. But what do you think?" Yoruichi sat beside Mizuno.

"He surely improved quite quickly compared between his current shunpo speed and 6 hours ago." Mizuno put back her book to look at the setting sun. "But don't you think your rule is a bit…too broad?"

"You mean to have him running around all 80alleys without a pin pointer? Or you mean about cannot go on high places to look for me? Hehe…" Yoruichi winked at Mizuno who rolled her eyes.

To have him running around all 80 alleys was to train his endurance and speed, for a noble to be in dangerous alleys like 75 and 80 is dangerous for nobles are disliked immensely in those types of alleys. In another words, he needs to fight or run as quickly as he can when he hit these situations. As for the second one…Mizuno looked at Yoruichi at the corner of her eyes and smirked slightly.

Seventeenth time Byakuya appeared below her panting, but did not give up. Mizuno called out "If you are tired, why don't you rest a bit?"

Byakuya's eyes were determined, a kid is still a kid, didn't want to loose even if it is a game. This was what Mizuno concluded about Byakuya today so far.

"Yoruichi is right behind me on this tree. Shunpo up here and catch her." Mizuno said ignoring Yoruichi's face and hands behind her.

"Mizu-chan!" she jumped out and yelled at Mizuno.

"See? I didn't lie to you." Mizuno smiled slightly. She wanted to find out about something.

But Byakuya still didn't move from his spot, he just stood there panting lightly under his breath as he looked up to look at the two senpai.

"What's wrong?" Mizuno continued to ask.

"Mizuno-senpai, the rule stated that I cannot go on high places." As if blaming Mizuno for breaking the rule, Byakuya repeated the rule Yoruichi stated before.

"……" Mizuno got her answer.

"Hehehe, muahahaha…you shouldn't have betrayed me Mizu-chan, I'm still the winner." Comparing to Byakuya, Yoruichi is more of a kid than he is when it comes to games, Mizuno sighed her numberless sigh of the day then she smirked.

"Oh _really_, as far as I remembered what Yoruichi-san said was: 'you must stay on the ground so you cannot go on roofs or trees to _look_ for me', but you didn't say to _catch_ you."

"……"

"……"

Those were the reaction of both Yoruichi and Byakuya.

"Alright then, I'm going to wait for you at Sakuya. See ya!" Mizuno left without another word leaving those two behind staring at each other. "If I don't see you when I'm finished eating then I'll send the bill to Shinouin."

"MIZUNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Yoruichi yelled as she ran away forgetting that she could use shunpo.

Byakuya shunpo to run after Yoruichi.

So between rules and what he had wanted as a kid – to win, he chose rules. He will have a hard future, and someone will teach him that sometimes, rules are meant to be broken.

Mizuno smiled, but does that apply to her self too?

On the other side, Yoruichi finally stopped for Byakuya to catch up on her.

"Oi Byaku-yaa, let's go eat before Mizu-chan finishes her food." Without waiting for Byakuya's reply, she grabbed him and shunpo away.

'Why must I go too?' Byakuya frowned. As if sensing that question in his head, Yoruichi said above his head. "If you are not going, then who is gonna pay the bill?"

"……"

"I said that I'll treat her to dinner but not 'pay' for it." When they reached the place, Yoruichi dragged Byakuya in. "Don't worry, we'll have you back home for curfew haha...yo Mizu-chan!"

Mizuno did not say anything when she saw Byakuya for she knew well enough that Yoruichi was trying to get away from paying the bill anyway.

"Sumimasen senpai, but I am still too young to drink sake." Yoruichi burst out in laughter.

"Yoruichi didn't ask you to come and drink with us, but to pay for us." Mizuno answered for Yoruichi. "For the sake of you going home hungry, I suggest you to eat some things here."

"………hai."

The three still academy students sat there for hours to eat and drink apart from Byakuya without realizing the curfew time for Byakuya had passed long ago. Until Mizuno got up to prepare to go home, they finally realized that Byakuya is in trouble.

"Yikes…I thought he could drink but prefer not to because he's underage. Mizu-chan…help?" Yoruichi scratched her hair at the drunken Byakuya.

"Yoruichi, as much as I know you like to drink, don't you think you are over doing it this time?" Mizuno picked up Byakuya's left side and Yoruichi picked up another. "Let's go for a ride."

They reached Byakuya's household searching for his room. They entered Byakuya's room without waking anyone in the hold, placing him on his futon. Before leaving, Mizuno forced Yoruichi to write a letter and she set a bottle of medicine down on top of the letter beside Byakuya.

They both smiled at each other then left.

The next day a maid opened Byakuya's door to find her young master still sleeping on the futon when normally he would be awake by now. She went up to wake up her young master. Byakuya opened his eyes to find his head splitting in pain.

He found a bottle and a letter to his right, when he looked at the letter he looked out to the opened door.

'These two senpai weren't that bad after all. Shunshin Yoruichi, Mizuno senpai ka?'


	6. Name, For the Zanpakutou

CHAPTER 7

'Where…am I?' Mizuno's voice echoed through the nothingness, she felt herself in a place with no light, no shadow, no sound, no feel and no presence.

Lifting her right arm in front of her, she couldn't see anything, neither can she feel her arms being raised. She opened her mouth to call out for someone but no sound could be heard out from her tongue. She wanted to call to someone but……who?

Her mind was filled with……nothingness? She couldn't remember anyone, anything or even her self. How long has she been in here? What's this longing feeling in her heart? Who's out there calling her when there's not a single sound could be heard?

She closed her eyes though it won't make a difference for both closing and opening her eyes were still a pit of blackness.

"Mizu-chan!!!!!" Snapped open her eyes to see an enlarged portrait of Yoruichi in front of her, her right hand reflexively slapped this intrusion of her sight. "Woh, be careful who you are hitting!"

Mizuno realized at the back of her head that whatever had happened awhile ago was just a dream. "How long have I slept?"

"Eh? I don't really know coz I went to the old crooks' family meeting two days ago." Yoruichi shrugged her shoulders. "Mizu-chan, you are going to graduate next week. Where is your zanpakutou? Kisuke and I want to see it!"

You mean to experiment on it. "I still haven't sense it as yet."

"……" Yoruichi's face turned serious all of a sudden.

"What?"

"You know Mizu-chan, I don't mind you to stay longer in the academy and graduate along with me. Ah! I know, then we'll go to Division 2 together! As much as I want you to be the taichou those old crooks will make a BIG fuss about it; so I'll be the Taichou while _you_ will be my vice! Doesn't that sound great?! "

"……" Mizuno rubbed her still sleepy eyes at the excited Yoruichi. "No."

"EH!!!! Why!!?!?!??!" Yoruichi shook Mizuno's shoulder hard as soon as she heard the word of refusal. "Although you are not as fast as me, not as inventive as Kisuke, not as cold and tease-able as Byaku-yaa, not as high reiatsu as old man, not as fun as Soi Fong, not as……"

Mizuno sent Yoruichi flying with a kick and said to her empty room. "I don't need that much reasons, not going means not going."

(Old man – nick name given to the head of Gotei 13 who is also the taichou/captain of Division 1)

Yoruichi was back in a flash of eyes "ne Mizu-chan, I'm serious, graduate with me."

"I……"Mizuno suddenly felt something, she quickly turned to Yoruichi's left and stared behind her.

"Mizu-chan……………………………!" Mizuno shunpo off before Yoruichi realized what was going on.

"Mizu-chan, where are you!?" As expected from Shunshin Yoruichi, she reached the spot where the last second Mizuno was but couldn't find any trace of Mizuno.

As soon as Mizuno reached the area where she was pulled to by an invisible string, she turned around to look for Yoruichi whose voice was like right behind her but couldn't see no one but a pitch of blackness.

"Call out my name……" a brush of cool breeze passed her right side followed by a warm breeze passed her left side. "Call out my name……"

"Your name?" Mizuno had a feeling that her zanpakutou is calling for her, but she has no connection whatsoever for this……zanpakutou soul.

A moment of silence then groups of distant voice rang:

"あなたは私のストウリイズAnata wa watashi no sutooriizu

呼んだ事のない物語、Yonda koto no nai monogatari

あなたは私のストウリイズAnata wa watashi no sutooriizu

呼んだ事のない物語。Yonda koto no nai monogatari

その瞳を見つめるとSono hitomi o mitsumeru to

見知らぬ国が見えたMishiranu kuni ga mieta

問いらが開いたストウリイズTobira ga hiraita sutooriizu

二度と輪閉じない物語Nido to wa tojinai monogatari

扉が開いたストウリイズTobira ga hiraita sutooriizu

二度と輪閉じない物語Nido to wa tojinai monogatari

運命は変えられないUnmei wa kaerarenai

見知らぬ国へ行こうMishiranu kuni e ikou

あなたを守りたいAnata o mamoritai

ただその想いだけでTada sono omoi dake de

漆黒のこの世界にShikkoku no kono sekai ni

光あふれるときまでHikari afureru toki made"

(Please look under Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion insert song – Stories for translation – it's a beautiful and meaningful song)

Ripples of water sounded its way in the darkness, Mizuno could feel something silky surround

her. Why is she afraid to call out his name…wait, his?

All along the voice belong to a female, why did she think that it's a 'he'?

As soon as Mizuno had that thought, she could see a slim lean male figure rose from the ripples. Strangely enough in this place of absolute darkness, she could see 'him'.

"Call out my name, master." The figure bowed.

Mizuno's mouth unconsciously shaped the sound. "……"

"Your wish is my command, master." A midnight blue hair in layers of robe appeared as the darkness retreated behind his back. His silver eyes attracted Mizuno's eye and drawn her in inside those endless pools. He lifted Mizuno's hand and gave proper bow. "I have waited for too long master, ever since you achieve power, I have been calling you. Do _not_ discard me this time master, or else I'll……"

His rest of the sentence left unheard.

"Ah……Setsuna…" Mizuno's reply became a sigh.


End file.
